Austria increases assistance to Tajikistan

Wednesday 24 August 2011

DUSHANBE (Asia-Plus) – State and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the European Union (EU) and the EU support for strengthening of border control with Afghanistan were the focus of a meeting of Tajik Ambassador to Austria Nouriddin Shamsov with senior representatives from Austria’s Foreign Ministry that took place in Vienna on August 23, the Tajik MFA information department reports.

The 9th Conference of the Central Asia Border Security Initiative (CABSI) took place on 14-16 March 2011 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

The Tajik side reportedly highly appraised the current level of cooperation. Pointing out existing threats and challenges emanating from neighbouring country, Nouriddin Shamsov called for further expansion of bilateral fruitful cooperation between the two countries and increase in the EU technical support for Tajikistan. He noted that Tajikistan needed assistance to ensure further provision of regional security and stability, the source said.

For his part, Mr. James highly appraised the results of an international conference on border management that took place in Dushanbe in 2008 and the 9th conference of the Central Asia Border Security Initiative (CABSI) that was held in Dushanbe in March this year.

The Austrian side stressed that the European Union and Austria planned to increase practical assistance to Tajikistan in the framework of implementation of the BOMCA/CADAP programs and EU’s new strategy for Central Asia, the source added.

The Central Asia Border Security Initiative (CABSI) was founded in 2003 by the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior in order to provide a forum for coordination and discussion on programme activities and strategic objectives of the European Union funded assistance programme “Border Management in Central Asia” (BOMCA). In the meantime, CABSI has been extended to become a coordination platform for all stakeholders in the areas of border management and drug control in Central Asia, while its objectives have been developed further to promote a comprehensive and sustainable integrated border management approach in the region in order to improve border security and facilitate trade and movement of people as a way to promote economic development. This approach is aimed to contribute to strengthening prosperity, stability and security in Central Asia as a way to contribute to the implementation of the EU Central Asia strategy.

CABSI meetings take place once a year in Central Asia to discuss current border management and security activities and possible future cooperation. The meetings are organized by the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior, which serves as secretariat for CABSI, in close cooperation with the European Commission and the BOMCA programme office.